


A Merman's Heart

by caterinawrites



Series: Written in the Stars [1]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fantasy AU, Fluff, Marichat May, Sass, mermaid au, merman!Chat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-01
Updated: 2018-05-31
Packaged: 2019-04-30 18:03:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,538
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14502528
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/caterinawrites/pseuds/caterinawrites
Summary: Marinette didn't believe the townspeople's tales of man-eating beasts from the sea, but when a merman washes up on the beach near her cottage, she discovers that her childhood ghost stories are very real and very handsome.





	1. You're Hurt, Please Stay

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to do something a little different for MariChat May since I am doing so many other things this month, so I've picked a few prompts to do for this little AU. This is also part one of a long series of other fantasy aus that I'm going to be constructing and building up a world so to speak. Eventually after I've written all of the side stories (each about 5 chapters) I'll write a big cross-over fic that ties up all of the stories, so yes, this story will be incomplete by the end, but you're gonna have to wait a while before I get to the resolution. ;) Hopefully you enjoy the ride in the mean time, and be on the look out for other parts of this series!

Chapter One

The night air was calm and quiet, a gentle sea breeze wafting the scent of salt against Marinette’s cheeks as she strolled along the shore. White waves washed around her feet as the tide rushed in, and she giggled as a small crab struggled to right itself after being pushed around. She stooped to flip it back over, watching as it scurried away the moment its feet touched the sand.

Everything was peaceful, and she lingered for a few moments, enjoying the soft melody of the ocean with closed eyes. Ever since she got her own little cottage by the shore, she often took walks on her way home from work. Their town wasn’t nearly as big as the surrounding cities, but the clothes shop she worked for drew quite a bit of business. It was tiring work, but she enjoyed it. Besides, calm nights like this served to relax her after a long day. She’d always found peace in the water which is why she chose a house on the outskirts of town just to be closer to it.

The people in the village were very superstitious and had warned her against it for fear of mermaids who would lure her out to her death, but those were just old wives tales told to children. There was no such thing as man-eating creatures from the sea. The idea was simply preposterous.

Or so that’s what she’d always thought, but the stars had a funny way of proving her wrong, she’d found.

Nearing the end of her walk, she spotted something strewn across the rocks at the base of the cliff. Squinting to make it out, she realized that it was not a some _thing_ but a some _one_ , and in an instant, she took off toward them.

“Excuse me?” She called, climbing haphazardly across the jagged stones. “Are you al…right?”

Her eyes widened as they scanned over black scales and flaccid fins sprawled across a rock as the creature struggled to breathe. Moonlight reflected off the wet sheen on its side, and even in the dark she could tell what it was. _Blood_. Every instinct in her body told her to run, but the face was so…human that she couldn’t bear to just leave it to die. Something about the rapid heaving of its chest as ragged gasps escaping its lips stirred up a sort of empathy in her chest that wouldn’t allow her to turn the other way.

In hind sight, dragging a mer-creature to her home in a burlap sack should have seemed like a horrible idea, but nevertheless it’s where she was in the moment. If the townspeople found out about this they’d surely kill it and throw her in an asylum, but the empathetic heart beating in her chest couldn’t let an innocent creature die.

Of course, if the stories were to be believed then this creature had probably murdered dozens of innocent people for its own satiation, and for a brief moment, she paused her efforts and stared down at the creature curiously. Would it be better to let it die? Would more lives be saved by allowing nature to take its course? Allow one to die in order to save the multitude as it were, but almost as quickly as the thought came, she dismissed it, shaking her head as if to sift the thought from her brain like writing in the sand. She had no way of knowing for sure, and perhaps helping would earn her some good karma points with the merpeople, who, despite her earlier doubts, seemed to be very real.

Marinette kicked the door open to her cottage, dragging the creature along with labored grunts until she finally reached the bathroom and stopped to catch her breath. She collapsed onto the side of the tub, flicking on the water before taking a closer look at what she’d brought home.

He, she figured it was a he anyway, was rather handsome for a fish-creature with chiseled cheek bones and a mop of blond hair tied back into a messy pony tail. He looked so normal, but once her eyes moved downward from the face there was no denying that he was anything but. From the waist up, he seemed more or less human minus the few scales trailing up his sides and garnishing his hands where pointed claws topped each finger. And the gills desperately heaving against his rib cage, she supposed, but a scaly black tail replaced legs on his lower half which served to remind her to be extra cautious when handling him. This creature was no human, and if legend was any indication of reality, he was dangerous.

Shaking her head to clear it, she awkwardly hoisted him up into the tub, thankful for her many years of lifting flour sacks at her parent’s bakery for her strength. She was surprised that he never awoke through all of her handling, and she had to wonder just how much blood he’d lost. The burlap she’d carried him in was splotched bright red where his side had touched, and the water in the tub was already turning too.

Cupping her hands, she splashed water over the wound to clean it, but the bleeding was too persistent. She rummaged through her cabinets for medical supplies, retrieving some antiseptic mist that she purchased from the local pharmacy as well as several wads of gauze. Gritting her teeth, she held the bottle out at arm’s length before releasing a swift spray directly onto the wound. The creature cried out in agony, eyes snapping wide open and wild green sclera training on her in an instant. It bared its fangs with a loud hiss that sent Marinette scurrying out the door in a hurry.

As she leaned her back against the door and clutched her chest where her heart hammered frantically, she heard more guttural growls and hissing from the other side, and instantly, she regretted ever bringing such a creature into her home. What had she been thinking? All of the stories must have come from somewhere, and now she had brought a man-eating monster into her home. She should alert the police, but she supposed then she’d have to explain how the creature got into her bathtub in the first place. Perhaps she could wait for it to die, but that may take too long. By then it could crawl out of the tub and eat her and regain its energy. Maybe she should go spend the night with her parents and pray that it dies overnight from blood loss or starvation.

Almost as soon as it had begun, the noise in the bathroom stopped, and Marinette eyed the knob with a conflicted crease to her brow. Did she dare peek inside? What if it was just luring her into a false sense of security, and the moment she opened the door it leapt out and ripped out her throat? Though, judging by the amount of blood smeared on her floor, she’d be willing to bet that the creature didn’t have much energy for leaping. Perhaps if she were cautious enough, she could reason with it? Were mer-creatures reasonable? She supposed there was no time like the present to find out.

With a few deep breaths, she slowly twisted the knob once more and cracked the door just enough to peer inside. The creature was still in the tub, its head leaned back against the wall, and she could make out the persistent rise and fall of its chest with each shallow gasp. When it tried to move, a pained groan echoed against the walls, and it trained its eyes on the tiny crack in the door causing Marinette to jump a little as she felt them baring into her.

“I will help you, but only if you promise not to attack me,” She said shakily sounding anything but the confident and firm she was going for. Could mer-creatures even understand humans?

After a few beats of shallow breaths came a reply, “You have my word.”

Pushing the door open cautiously, she poked her head in to see the creature adorned with a pleading expression as he cupped his side, and her heart lurched in her chest. With a renewed purpose, she crouched next to the tub, and he reluctantly moved his hands. She felt her pits sweat a little as he watched her every move intently, fearing that at any moment he’d snap, but to her surprise he stayed surprisingly still.

“I’m going to spray some more of this on you, okay? It’s going to prevent it from getting infected,” She explained, holding up the bottle of antiseptic. “It’s going to sting a little.”

When the mist made contact, he writhed in pain, baring his fangs once more and clutching the edge of the tub, and Marinette flinched back instinctively with a grimace.

“You torturous wench!” He cried.

“Sorry!” She gasped, fumbling with her supplies with shaking hands until she found a sealing balm. “I-I promise this one won’t hurt.”

His eyes narrowed as she clumsily unscrewed the lid and scooped some out with her fingers, and a snarl rippled up from his throat as she began to apply it but soon replaced with a relieved sigh. She reached for the gauze and pressed a wad against the wound, applying firm pressure with one hand while grabbing a bandage wrap with the other. She met his glare anxiously, swallowing back a lump in her throat before she spoke.

“Um, I’m going to wrap it up now, can you hold this in place?” His eyes flicked down to his side, and slowly, he moved to slip his hands under hers and resume pressure while she wrapped.

“Why are you helping me?” He asked as she tied it off and rinsed her hands under the faucet. “I thought all humans loathed us.”

“I dunno,” She admitted with a shrug, wetting a cloth with a few spritzes of antiseptic and delicately dabbing it over his other wounds. “I just…saw someone who needed help, and it didn’t feel right to leave you there. Even if you could easily kill me if you wanted.”

“That I could, little lady,” He said with a grunt, a smirk curling on his lips. “So what’s to assure you that I don’t eat you in the middle of the night?”

“Well, given your current condition and lack of legs, and granted that I am a light sleeper, I could hear you coming long before you could ever reach me in bed. I’d have more than enough time to escape, and something tells me my legs can move much faster on land than your tail,” She said matter-of-factly, and he rewarded her with a conceding cock of the brow. “Besides, it’s poor manners to hurt the person who saved your life.”

He grumbled something under his breath that Marinette took as an expression of gratitude. After applying more balm over his injuries, she plugged up the tub and allowed it to fill up over his tail, stopping it just shy of his side wound so as to not wash away the medicine. Tucking away her medical supplies, she stole a quick glance at him to find those thin-slits of eyes staring at her curiously.

“Um,” She cleared her throat. “You should stay here tonight and give the medicine a chance to work on your wound. I’ll take you back down to shore as soon as you are healed, alright?”

“Alright.” He gave a short nod, following her every movement as she stood up and walked to the door stiffly.

“Good night, merperson,” She said, pressing her lips into a firm line.

“Good night, human girl.”


	2. Marinette Protects Chat

Chapter 2

Gentle light streamed in from the window carrying the early morning caws of birds when Marinette awoke the next morning. She sat up in her bed with a yawn, running a hand through her hair and throwing off her blanket as she stood up. Groggily, she made her way to the bathroom, freezing in the doorway when she laid eyes on the giant fish creature in her tub, staring at the wall with a bored expression.

Oh. Right.

She’d forgotten that she’d brought home a fearsome sea creature last night, or perhaps part of her had thought it was all a dream. In fact, she wasn’t entirely sure she wasn’t still dreaming, but when the creature fixed his gaze on her, she felt her spine stiffen in a way that felt all too real. They held each other’s gaze for a few moments before she finally cleared her throat.

“I see you didn’t eat me in my sleep last night,” She said, awkwardly rubbing her arm.

“I’ve barely any strength to move let alone hoist myself out of this contraption and crawl across your floor,” He replied dryly. He seemed to have enough energy to sass her, so she supposed that her rough patching of his wounds had helped a little bit.

“I should change your bandages before I leave for work,” She offered, moving to retrieve her supplies from under the sink again.

She took his silence as permission to proceed, so she carefully cut away his bandaging and tossed it in her trashcan. He watched her every movement just as he had the night before, and she felt her skin prick a little as if he were constantly debating whether or not to kill her. She supposed it wouldn’t behoove him anything to kill her just yet, so she finished patching up his wounds again and put away her supplies.

“Human girl?” He tugged her shorts as she stood to wash her hands.

“I have a name, you know,” She said curtly, and he cocked his head to the side a little, eyebrows furrowing. Why did it matter to her? Wouldn’t it be better if he didn’t know her name?

“A name?” He asked with a puzzled purse to his lips.

“Never mind.” She shook her head. “What is it?”

“I’m thirsty,” He said with a wince.

“Merpeople get thirsty?” She cocked her head to the side with a laugh.

“We spend all day in the water constantly hydrating ourselves. I’ve been drying out in this bin all night. My skin is going to start cracking soon.” He said matter-of-factly, holding up a scaly arm for emphasis.

“Okay, I’ll get you some water.” She quickly paced into the kitchen to retrieve a glass of water for him, and upon her return, his eyes narrowed skeptically. “What?”

“Is that all?” He asked, cocking a brow. “Are you trying to kill me?”

“ _What_?” She held out her arms in exasperation. “You asked for water, and I brought you some.”

“ _Some_? This is merely a single gulp,” He hissed. “How do your people think that such a small amount is acceptable?”

“Because this is a normal amount of water for _my people_.” She shot back, placing a hand on her hip. “And if you wanted more, you could have just asked nicely.”

“My apologies if I have little interest in showing any inclination of benevolence toward you humans considering you’re the ones who got me into this predicament in the first place!” He shouted, baring his teeth, and she took a step back, eyes burning, before storming out of the room.

She waddled back in a moment later, carrying a bucket full of fresh water and set it on the stool next to the tub with a huff, placing her hands on her hips. “Is that enough water for you?”

“It’s a much more suitable container for my needs, yes, but I’ll still need it refilled regularly if-”

“Refill it yourself. Turn the knob on the faucet and water will come out,” She ordered, pointing. “I have to go to work.”

“Work?” He asked, lifting the bucket into his lap carefully before tipping it back and chugging noisily.

“It’s a human thing, you wouldn’t understand,” She said before stalking from the room and slamming the door behind her.

The sooner she rid herself of this stupid merman the better. Who did he think he was ordering her around and raising his voice? He should be kissing her feet for saving him. She had half a mind to grab him by the tail and drag him back down to shore if she didn’t fear being spotted by someone from the village. Mercreatures weren’t fearsome at all, but they were rather needy.

When she arrived at work, she still wore a sour expression that didn’t go unnoticed by her friend and colleague, Caline, and she spared no time in figuring out why.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you look so vexed, Marinette,” She said with a giggle. “Would it have anything to do with why you’re so much later today than usual?”

“Yeah, sorry I sort of had a rough morning. It’s, uh, _that_ time, ya know?” Marinette replied, plastering on a smile. “I’ll be fine. That is, if another woman doesn’t come in today and complain that her dress isn’t pink enough or that the hem is too long even though we told her it was when we measured it, but she insisted that we leave it long because she’s still ‘growing.’”

Caline cupped a hand over her mouth to suppress her laugh, pinching Marinette’s side with the other. “You are in a mood today. Try to keep those hormones of yours in check, and I’ve got some painkillers from the pharmacy if you get cramps.”

“Thanks. I’ll let you know.” She flashed an insincere smile, but Caline accepted it jovially.

As her luck often seemed to entail, many of their problem customers visited that day, and around noon, Marinette requested one of those painkillers for her pounding headache. If only she had the promise of a relaxing evening at home, but she had that _creature_ to deal with once she was finished for the day. Hopefully he’d have a better attitude when she got home, or so help her she’d make him wish she’d left him on that rock to die.

“A few of us are going out for drinks tonight, would you like to come?” Caline offered at the end of the day as they swept up loose bits of thread and fabric.

“Oh, I better not. I’m just not feeling the best. These, uh, cramps are really kicking my butt,” She fibbed, rubbing the back of her neck, although a drink sounded great right about now. “I think I’m just going to go home and have some tea.”

“That’s a pity, but we can go again next week when you’re feeling better.” She shrugged it off, and Marinette nodded with a fake smile.

“Yeah, sounds great.”

She felt a little bad being so disingenuous with Caline, but it’s not like she could really tell her what was on her mind. The whole village would be at her doorstep with torches and pitchforks on the hour, and it wouldn’t just be her bathtub creature’s hide they were after. As much as she hated to admit it, she was in too deep to turn back now. If she was lucky, merpeople would have some advanced healing powers, and she could dump him in a few days and never have to see him again.

Despite wanting to desperately, Marinette forwent her usual stroll along the beach, somehow not finding the same solace in it as she usually did, instead opting to rush straight home. Being around other people kept her on edge, and she’d be glad once this whole ordeal was over. Her stupid mercreature was right where she left him, turning a bar of soap over in his hands curiously, and he looked up when she entered the room.

“You were gone all day,” He stated with a wince. “Were you so angry with me this morning that you spent the whole day away hoping that I would die of starvation?”

“Sure, something like that,” She retorted with a grunt. “I’m going to make dinner. Would his royal pain like something?”

“Human flesh would be delightful,” He said with a mocking smirk, leaning his elbow against the side of the tub, but after a cutting glare from Marinette, he averted his gaze and pursed his lips. “Sorry, I was just trying to lighten the mood.”

“Well, it didn’t work,” She said coldly, turning abruptly and sulking to the kitchen.

She sighed, gripping the fridge handle tightly as she forced her shoulders to relax. Perhaps things were just different for merpeople, and she should try to be a little more patient. It didn’t mean she had to like it, but he seemed perplexed by her annoyance. If she was going to do anything to that fish, she was going to teach him some manners.

Once she got the stew going, she flopped onto her sofa with a groan. Why did she have to be so nice? All day she’d been hot under her collar about this stupid creature, and now she was cooking him dinner. She could have easily picked up a fish or something for him from the market, but she’d been too angry at the time to consider it. Did merpeople even like stew? She supposed he wasn’t going to have much of a choice. He could eat it or starve, and _that_ was how she was going to demand her respect. If he dared to raise his voice at her again, she’d toss him over the edge of the cliff and be done with him.

She glanced at the door and sighed. If she was going to be stuck with him for several days, she supposed she should at least try to reason with him, especially since she’d have to change his gauze after dinner. Taking care of him had better earn her some good karma points with the merpeople.

Once the stew was ready, she fixed two bowls and finally opened the door to the bathroom once more, and he fixed his gaze on her the moment she entered. She ignored him as she set up her tea table and placed the bowls on top, pulling up the stool and taking a seat before even bothering to look at him.

“What’s this?” He asked, peeking over the side of the tub and sniffing the air curiously.

“A peace offering,” She said, folding her arms over her chest, and his nose wrinkled in disgust.

“I will accept your peace but not your offering,” He said, leaning back in the tub, and she felt her annoyance flaring up again.

“Well, you can either eat it or starve to death. I don’t particularly care which one you choose,” She stated flatly, taking a hearty bite, and he remained quiet in the tub. “Ya know, when someone saves your life, most people are grateful.”

“My apologies if I’m uncertain of whether to be grateful to you or afraid of you,” He mumbled, and she crossed her legs, leaning over the edge of the tub to cock a brow at him.

“You’re afraid of me?” She scoffed in disbelief. “One of the most fearsome creatures of the sea is afraid of a human girl?”

“My whole life I’ve heard stories about you humans, what terrible, heartless monsters you were with your sharpened metal blades that cut through our skin like we’re made of sand. I’ve heard the tales of encounters with human fishers and seen the scars your kind leave on us,” He said, staring off with a distant gaze. “Ever since you brought me here, I’ve stared at these walls and pondered for what purpose you choose to keep me alive, but I can’t understand it.”

“That makes two of us,” She said, pressing her lips into a firm line. “We have stories of our own about the mers. Bloodthirsty, man-eating beasts that lure you with their hypnotic songs and promises of riches untold only to devour you the moment you get close.”

“Is that what you think of me?” He asked, flicking his gaze back to her.

“I don’t know what to think of you. One moment you’re so obedient then another you’re the most terrifying thing I’ve ever seen. And other moments, I want to beat you over the head with a metal pipe for being a smart ass.” She smirked, and he shifted to rest his arms on the edge of the tub.

“My people do what they must to survive, and when _I_ look at _you_ , I’m uncertain whether or not to trust you or to fight you for my life. Some moments you are so kind and gentle, but others you have such a fire in your eyes that I can’t help but think you’re going to leave me to die.” He said softly. “You truly don’t realize how powerless I am here, do you?”

She searched his expression, detecting no obvious hints of insincerity or deceit and shifted her gaze back to her lap, biting her lip.

“I promise not to hurt you, but…” She reached for his bowl and scooped up a spoonful. “You can’t be condescending to me for not knowing the intricacies of merpeople’s bodily needs.”

“How am I to know you haven’t poisoned it?” He asked, eyeing it suspiciously.

“How am I to know everything you just told me isn’t all a lie fabricated to make me sympathize with you so you can eat my face?” She cocked a brow, and a smirk curled on his lips.

“I suppose we will just have to trust each other then.” He leaned forward, opening his mouth to accept her spoonful of stew, chewing it intently for a moment before licking his lips in delight. “I’ve never tasted something like this before. It’s delicious! What is it called?”

“Stew,” She replied with a laugh, handing him the bowl which he immediately pressed to his lips and began to slurp noisily.

“Can I ask you something, human girl?” He requested once he’d finished, licking the traces from his lips.

“What?” She asked around a mouthful.

“What is your name?” She paused mid-chew to meet his curious gaze, eyebrows furrowing.

“My name?” She clarified, and he nodded.

“You mentioned earlier that you have one. Do all humans have names?” He gripped the edge of the tub, resting his chin on it with inquisitive eyes.

“Well, yes, all humans have names. It’s something that you are given at birth that everyone calls you. There are a lot of ‘human girls’ in the world, so we go by names to tell each other apart. Don’t merpeople have names?” She folded her arms over her chest, and he shrugged.

“Not really, at least, not the ones I’ve met,” He said, and her eyebrows raised in surprise. “It’s not like we cohabitate like you humans do. Some of the friendlier mer breeds form hunting groups, but most of my kind tend to live on our own.”

“What do you mean _your_ kind?” She asked, resting her chin on her fists.

Chat rolled his eyes. “Other mers like me. Our species as you humans might call it.”

“So, there are different species of mermaids?” Her eyebrows furrowed, and he pursed his lips pensively.

“Of sorts. Not all mers sing songs to hypnotize people. Not all mers _sing_. Not all mers eat humans, in fact there’s only a select few that do. Most of us find your meat too gamey and fattening.” His nose wrinkled in disgust. “In fact, most of us are quite personable when we’re not being massacred on the spot.”

“So what do merpeople eat then?” She asked, and he simply shrugged.

“Other fish mostly. Crabs, mollusks, occasionally water fowl if we can catch them.” He listed, tapping his claws on the tub. “It’s an unfair generalization that just because a few mers attacked a ship once that the rest of us have to bear the name of man-eater. That the gentlest among us get branded as killers and are met with brute force any time they show their faces above the surface.”

Something in his expression made him seem so subdued and small. Not at all the terrifying monster she’d initially thought. It seems that there was a lot that humans didn’t know about the merpeople, and Marinette couldn’t help but wonder that if people knew the truth if they’d think differently about the mers. She couldn’t imagine how she’d feel if she were captured by a mer just as she had captured him. Would she be perfectly amiable, or would she put up a fuss just like he did? He really did have to trust her with his life, a creature he’d grown up learning to fear, and suddenly he seemed so fragile and harmless.

 Marinette opened her mouth to speak, but a knock sounded on the front door. It took her a moment to process it, but when she did, her blood ran cold. Who could be here at this hour? Had someone seen her dragging him inside last night? Was the village here to take her away?

“Don’t make a sound in here. Do you understand me?” She gave him a serious look, and he nodded, shrinking a little.

She grabbed her bowl and raced from the room, pulling the door shut behind her before taking a breath and making her way to the front door. To her surprise, Caline stood outside, a cheerful smile curling on her lips the moment Marinette opened the door.

“Hey, Marinette!” She greeted, pulling her in for a tight hug.

“Caline, what are you doing here?” Marinette asked, patting her back awkwardly until she released.

“Well, you left your sweater at work, so I told myself I’d bring it by after drinks to come see how you’re doing. You really missed a good time tonight. Are your cramps any better?” Marinette pulled the door close to herself to conceal the rest of her home and smiled nervously.

“Oh, silly me. I was just in such a hurry to get home and rest, but I’m feeling much better, so you don’t have to worry. Thanks for bringing my sweater; I’ll see you at work!” She said quickly, taking the garment and shooing Caline away.

“Marinette, I know you’re a little crabbier because it’s that time of the month, but I’m not leaving until we have at least a cup of tea together.” Her friend folded her arms over her chest stubbornly, and Marinette cast a nervous glance at her bathroom door and sighed. She knew that it would only raise suspicion if she sent her away, so reluctantly, she opened the door and gestured her in.

“Mmm, that smells good. Can I have some?” She asked, taking a deep breath.

“Uh, sure, but just so you know the toilet doesn’t work in the bathroom, so, uh, I hope you don’t have to go,” She said quickly as Caline plopped on the couch happily with a bowl.

“That must be rough. Your toilet is broken when you’re cycling. No wonder you were so irritated at work this morning.” She winced sympathetically. “Have you called to get it fixed?”

“Oh, yes, they should be coming tomorrow, don’t worry.” Marinette waved it away, setting a pot of water on to boil. “So what mischief did I miss this time?”

Caline perked up, a scandalous grin spreading across her cheeks. “Well, there was this funny little bard playing outside, right-”

Marinette feigned engagement, nodding at appropriate times and applying proper use of interested facial expressions in accordance with her tone, but the tiny hairs on the back of her neck stood on end the whole time as every sense not dedicated to convincing Caline that she was interested in this story focused on the bathroom door. Her merman was doing well to keep quiet this long, but she couldn’t help but feel like it was only a matter of time before he slipped up. The screech of the tea pot, snapped her back to reality, and she stood up swiftly to retrieve it from the stove.

“-and that’s when I stole a kiss from a royal guardsman.” Caline was chuckling, wiping a tear from her eye.

“Wow, what a story. I really missed out,” She said, snapping her fingers. “Maybe next time.”

Caline accepted her cup, taking a small sip before an impish expression took over her face. “I don’t understand how you can live all the way out here. Don’t you get lonely?”

“It’s not so far from town,” Marinette said defensively, rubbing her arm. “Besides, I think the sound of the waves is relaxing at night.”

“Aren’t you worried about… _mermaids_ ,” She whispered the word, glancing around nervously as if she expected one to pop out at any moment, which, given the current circumstances, wasn’t so farfetched. “Have you ever seen one?”

“Caline, aren’t you a bit old to believe in silly old ghost stories?” Marinette gave her a chiding look. “None of it is true.”

“If you say so.” Caline deflated a little then almost as quickly perked back up. “So, did you hear the castle hired a new medic? They say his work is ingenious, and I’ve heard he’s kind of cute.”

“No, I hadn’t heard that.” Marinette tapped her fingers on her cup impatiently as Caline dove head-first into another long story.

She loved Caline. Really, she did, but now wasn’t the time for kingdom gossip. If she found out that there was a merman in her bathtub, Marinette really doubted that she’d be so understanding. Unfortunately, Marinette knew the only way to get rid of her was just to let her wear herself out talking, so Marinette continued to feign interest for what felt like an eternity until Caline was finally satisfied.

“Well, it’s getting late. I should head home. Don’t want any mermaids to lure me away.” She gave Marinette a teasing grin, pulling her in for another tight hug. “It’s nice to catch up with you. Sometimes I feel like we don’t always get time at work.”

“Not with Mme. Sancoeur breathing down our necks we don’t,” Marinette said with a grunt. “That woman has no heart.”

“Oh, I’m sure that’s not true. She just takes a lot of pride in the work we do for others. Many of our nobles attend balls at the palace, and it reflects poorly on us if they show up with uneven hemlines.” She waved it away, and Marinette had to admire her optimism.

“Perhaps you’re right. Maybe there is a heart in there somewhere. Deep down.” She patted Caline’s shoulder and opened the door.

“We’ll have to do this again sometime,” Caline said as she paced out onto the porch.

“Yeah, totally. Come back again soon!” She grinned as her friend made her way up the path back to the main road. “Just not too soon.”

Slamming the door shut and locking it, Marinette hurried back to the bathroom to find her merman reclined in the tub, staring at the ceiling. He sat up as she crouched next to the tub and dug out her first aid supplies again, remaining quiet as she began the procedure of redressing his wounds.

“Your friend talks a lot,” He remarked after a while, and Marinette let out a grunt.

“That’s an understatement,” She said, letting a breath pass through her lips.

“I think she sounds pretty cute.” He grinned, and Marinette chose that moment to spritz him with antiseptic, prompting him to hiss in pain. “What kind of torture device is that stuff?”

“It kills off germs that cause infection. Very necessary.” She stated with a satisfied smirk, feeling more annoyed by his comments than she should.

“I think you just like to cause me pain,” He grumbled as she tied off his bandages and pulled the plug on the tub to drain it.

“Only when you’re annoying me.” She flicked on the faucet and filled his drinking bucket and set it on the stool next to the tub before stopping the drain again.

“You humans have no sense of humor,” He sighed, leaning his head back again, and Marinette twisted the knob as soon as the water filled enough to cover his tail.

“Well, once again, you’re welcome for saving your life, and good night.” She stood up abruptly and headed for the door.

“Wait!” He called, holding out an arm, and she paused in the doorway to glance over her shoulder. “You never told me your name.”

She tapped her nail on the wood and pursed her lips, debating it a moment before replying. “It’s Marinette.”

“Marinette,” He said each syllable slowly. “Good night, Marinette.”

“Yeah,” She said softly, biting her lip. “Good night.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A day late, but who's counting? Hopefully you enjoyed their sass this chapter as well as a little tidbit about the mers. Someone asked if the reason Chat was injured is going to be brought up, and it will in the next chapter I believe. Next chapter is gonna be a fun one tho, so look forward to it on the 12/13th! Also look out on tumblr because a friend of mine is gonna draw a few things from this fic, so I'll reblog them so you all can see! She's a super sweetheart, and I'm so humbled that she'd draw things for me! ><


	3. Nightmare

Chapter 3

“Dinner’s ready,” Marinette announced the next evening, bringing in a plate of chicken and vegetables for each of them.

Her merman sat up interestedly as she set the plate down on the table and pulled up her stool. After curiously sniffing, he reached out and picked up a piece of chicken with his bare hands, and Marinette gave him a scolding look.

“Use the fork,” She said chidingly, pointing to the utensil sitting abandoned on his plate. “Like this.”

“Why? It’s more efficient this way.” He cocked a brow and continued to pick up pieces of sliced meat with his fingers before pointing curiously to the broccoli and carrots on his plate. “What are these?”

“They’re vegetables. Farmers grow them in the ground; they’re very nutritious,” She replied knowledgably, and he poked at them with pursed lips before lifting one to his lips. Almost as soon as the carrot hit his taste buds, he made a disgusted face and let it roll out of his mouth back onto his plate, and Marinette rolled her eyes.

“Can I have more meat?” He requested, holding his plate out to her.

“Not until you eat your vegetables,” She said firmly, and he slumped grumpily. “Oh my stars, you are such a child. Don’t merpeople eat seaweed or something?”

“Why would anyone eat seaweed?” His nose wrinkled, and she sighed.

“Never mind, just eat them. They won’t kill you,” She ordered, and he eyed them distastefully before retrieving his discarded carrot and chewing it with a sour expression.

“I don’t like vegetables,” He grumbled as he picked at a piece of broccoli.

“Too bad,” She said unsympathetically.

They continued to eat in silence for a while, or as silent as they could be with him making faces and groaning every time he put another vegetable in his mouth, and Marinette eyed him thoughtfully, tapping her chin. The fins on his head looked an awful lot like cat ears, and many of his mannerisms reminded her of a cat she and Ivan used to play with back home when they were children. It made him seem more cute and cuddly and less frightening and monster-like.

“I’ve been thinking,” She said, and he looked up from his chewing with interest. “You said that you don’t have a name, but I can’t just keep calling you merperson. How would you like me to give you a proper name?”

His face brightened at that, and he set the plate back on the table, happy to have an excuse to take a break from eating his vegetables. “I’d love to have one!”

“Good because I’ve already been thinking of some.” She sat forward with a grin, tenting her fingers together. “On land we have animals called cats that have fur and ears and walk on four legs, and many humans keep them as pets. I’ve been thinking that you remind me of a cat, so how do you feel about the name Chat?”

“You’re going to name me after an animal you keep as a pet?” His eyebrows furrowed as he leaned his cheek against the tub. “Are all humans named after animals?”

“Well- no, but sometimes we nickname people after animals when we like them,” She explained.

“Nickname?”

“A nickname is just another name we call someone. It’s not their real name, but rather something diminutive that holds meaning for the person calling you that. For example, my best friend from childhood used to call me Lefty because whenever he tried to teach me how to dance, I was so bad at it that he joked that I must have two left feet.” When he seemed more confused she switched gears. “Don’t focus too much on it. If you don’t like the name Chat, I can think of something else.”

“I’ll be happy with any name you give me.” He shrugged, and she pursed her lips in thought.

“Well, then Chat isn’t a full name, now is it? So how about…Chat Noir?” She offered, and he tested it out a few times, an elated grin curling on his lips.

“I like it a lot. Thank you very much, Marinette!” He took her hands in his excitedly, and she bit back a smile.

“You’re very welcome, Chat Noir,” She said, brushing his nose with her finger. “Now if you eat the rest of your broccoli, I’ll get you another piece of chicken.”

He leaned his head back with a groan as she handed him his plate and stood up. She retreated to the kitchen and sliced more chicken while he finished his broccoli and carrots, pursing her lips contemplatively. He’d been there for two full days now, and Marinette was really in want of a hot bath. If she put it off any longer then her hair would be a greasy mess, but how exactly could she bathe with him around? His injuries were healing, quicker than a human’s would as she suspected, but was it a good idea to move him?

“I finished all of my vegetables, can I have more chicken now?” He called from the tub, and she returned to the bathroom to ensure he was being honest.

“How am I to know you didn’t just toss them out?” She teased with a smirk, and he leaned over the tub with a whine prompting a giggle from Marinette. “I’m kidding. Here.”

He perked up as she refilled his plate, digging in immediately and within a few seconds, he’d licked the whole plate clean, and Marinette retrieved it with an amused grin. Sometimes he was too cute for words, and his eagerness to try all of her cooking was simply precious and a step up from most people’s reactions. At least someone appreciated her.

“Hey, Chat Noir?” He looked up at her with a smile at the use of his new name.

“What is it, Marinette?” He asked, resting his elbows on the edge of the tub and his chin on his hands.

“It’s been three days since I’ve had a bath, and I _really_ need one,” She said, tapping her fingers together. “Will you be alright if I move you onto the floor for a little while? You won’t stop breathing will you?”

“Of course. Mers can breathe both underwater and out in the air. We just can’t be out of the water for extended periods of time or our scales dry out,” He explained casually.

“Thank you.” Marinette nodded graciously before carrying his dishes to the sink in the kitchen.

He was certainly more amiable now than he had been the day before, and she supposed she held him in less contempt than she did previously as well. It was odd to think that she was becoming friends with a merman, but it seemed as if they’d formed a bit of a bond. If the townspeople wouldn’t have thought she had completely lost her mind by taking him in, they would certainly think it now that they were coexisting amicably. Who would have ever thought she’d get along with a merman?

She heard him shift in the tub, water splashing as he grunted with exertion, and she hurried back to see him lifting himself from the tub with a concentrated frown. His arms shook weakly before giving out under him and forcing him back down into the tub with a splash, and she winced sympathetically before moving to help him.

“Lift on three, okay?” She ordered, placing her hands under his arms. “One, two…three!”

With a grunt from both of them, they managed to hoist him out of the tub and onto the floor. He pawed at the rug curiously while Marinette laid down a towel in the corner and dragged him over to it.

“There are so many odd textures to your human things,” He remarked, breaking off a leaf from one of her plants and trailing his fingers over it.

“I think we have a lot more room for it than the merpeople do,” She said, unplugging the drain and retrieving her cleaning supplies while the water cleared. “You can’t exactly have a plush rug in the water.”

“It’s not very practical no,” He chuckled with a smile, watching her work as he usually did which brought to mind a sort of problem that needed to be addressed.

“You’ll have to face the wall while I bathe,” She instructed as she scrubbed out the tub.

“Why?” His eyebrows furrowed, and she shifted a little.

“Because I’ll be naked,” She said pointedly. “And I don’t want you to see me.”

“Are you embarrassed about your body?” He tilted his head to one side.

“It’s not that.” She shook her head. “It’s just…indecent. We cover ourselves with clothes for a reason.”

“Oh…” He shifted his gaze to the leaf in his hands, twirling it around a few times. “Is it bad for someone to see you naked?”

“It’s not always a bad thing. It depends on the person who’s seeing you.” She ran the water and used the spray nozzle to rinse out the chemicals from the sides of the tub. “Under certain circumstances, it’s not wrong for someone you love to see you naked.”

“So, you don’t want me to see you naked because you don’t love me?” He looked up again as she hooked the nozzle back on its clip and stopped the drain once more.

“I just don’t know you very well, that’s all. It’s…uncomfortable for me,” She explained gently, standing up. “I’m going to undress now, so face the wall, and no peeking.”

“I won’t,” He vowed.

Chat shifted away from her obediently, and she eyed him as she removed her clothes just to be sure. He seemed to stay true to his word as she climbed into the tub and laid back with a satisfied moan. It had been too long since she’d had a proper soak, and considering how eventful the past several days had been, she really needed it. But she didn’t have time to enjoy it as there was a merman drying out on her floor, so she quickly lathered up, humming to herself softly. When she heard him shift a little, her eyes darted over to ensure he wasn’t peeking, and she began to hum a little louder to distract herself from his presence. As she worked her shampoo through her hair, Chat picked up on the melody too and began to hum along, and she stopped the moment his voice registered.

“Are you trying to play mind tricks on me?” She asked, arms frozen in mid massage in her hair.

“I told you before that not all merpeople sing to hypnotize people. Sometimes we just hear songs that we like, and we sing along.” He said, and she heard his skin brush the wall as he shrugged.

She remained quiet for a few moments, working the suds through her hair before she began to hum again with Chat harmonizing. His singing made her skin tingle in a weird way, so she finished her bath quickly and pulled the plug. With a contented sigh, she wrapped a towel around herself and informed Chat that he could look again, so he turned around to examine her.

“You have a lovely voice,” He complimented with a smile that made her heart lurch. Sometimes she forgot how human his face was, and how handsome he looked when he wasn’t snarling at her.

“Oh, um, thanks.” Her cheeks burned, and she turned to the door. “Let me get dressed then I’ll help you back into the tub.”

As she hurried to dry herself off and pull on her pajamas, she heard shuffling in the bathroom followed by a splash, and when she made it back in, she found that Chat had already climbed back in the tub on his own. He leaned back with a satisfied sigh as the water splashed on his tail, and Marinette sat on the stool and pressed her palms between her knees.

“I would have helped you if you’d waited,” She said with an apologetic wince, but he waved it away.

“I’ve gotta learn to start doing things on my own again and build my strength back up,” He said as if it weren’t a big deal.

“You could have reopened your wound,” She scolded gently, touching the bandages on his side with a worried crease to her brow, but Chat took her hand and lifted it away.

“I’m fine. I’m healing quickly thanks to you,” He said, a warm look in his eyes that brought a flush to her cheeks.

“Say…Chat?” She started, shifting her gaze from his as her heart sputtered in her chest. “How exactly did you get your wound?”

He sobered, eyes glazing over into a steely mask. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. It must not be a pleasant story.” She pursed her lips to hide her frown, turning to flick off the water.

“I’m tired, so I’m going to get some sleep,” He said with a finality to his tone that signaled the end of their conversation.

“Oh, well, good night then, Chat Noir,” She said, as he yawned for good measure.

“Good night, Marinette, and thank you for everything.” He offered a small smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes.

“You’re welcome…” She stood slowly and moved to the door, flipping the light off as she exited and pulling the door shut behind her.

Later that night, she awoke to commotion in the bathroom and was on her feet in an instant, fearing that someone had come into attack her merman, but when she turned on the light, she found Chat groaning and thrashing in the tub alone. Kneeling beside him, she cupped his face in her hands, calling his name, but his eyes were squeezed shut. More whimpers and growls sounded in his throat as his arms twitched and his tail writhed.

“Chat!” She tried again, shaking his shoulder this time. “Chat, wake up!”

His eyes flew open, searching around frantically before he lashed out with his claws, teeth bared into a snarl, and Marinette jumped back with a gasp, clutching her cheek as pain seared across her face. He hissed and flailed, slamming against the sides of the tub with angered cries as she cowered against the wall. After several seconds, he seemed to realize where he was, and the room echoed with his labored heaves. Slowly, Marinette moved back to the tub’s edge, peering over at the pale, wide-eyed merman shaking in the shallow water.

“Chat?” She tried, his gaze flicking to her, and he shot up to touch the scratches across her cheek tenderly.

“I’m so sorry!” He breathed, horror filling his expression, and he cupped a shaking hand over his mouth. “I’m so sorry, Marinette.”

“Chat, are you okay?” She pushed his unruly locks out of his face, caressing his jaw with her thumb, and he shook his head leaning forward to bury his face in her shoulder. “You’re alright. You’re safe; it was just a nightmare.”

He shook and whimpered against her shirt as she stroked his hair, and she held him tighter, tracing circles on his back. The pain in her cheek served to remind her how dangerous and terrifying he could be, but the man trembling in her arms seemed far from the wild-eyed creature that had lashed out at her moments before.

“Do you want to talk about it?” She offered, and he shook his head, so she continued to run her fingers along the back of his head and neck until he quieted enough to speak.

“It was about the night I got injured,” He said finally, voice ragged and hoarse. “The night I was attacked.”

“Attacked by what?” She asked, shifting to see his face, but he wore a distant gaze as if he were somewhere else.

“By the main predator and enemy of the mers,” He said softly. “By humans.”

“What happened?” She instinctively held him tighter, glancing around nervously as if someone was going to appear and take him away.

“I was exploring a ship wreck in the bay,” He started, eyes fixed at some point on the wall, and Marinette rested her head against his to match his point of view. “I was just looking at things left behind, picturing what life must be like on land, and all of a sudden as I was swimming back out to sea, a giant fishnet caught me in its clutches. I’ve never been so scared…

“They reeled me in with the rest of their haul, but quickly realized what I was. They charged at me with their spears and their knives, and I was just trying to protect myself. I never meant them any harm, but I had no choice. It was all I could do to fight my way back overboard, but they’d already done their damage. I was very weak when you found me, and even now I still am.” She blinked away a tear, wiping at it as it slid down her cheek, and Chat sat up to swipe away another one with his thumb. “Don’t cry for me. I am lucky. Not all of us make it back overboard, and if you had not shown me compassion, I would have died on those rocks. I am truly in your debt, Marinette.”

“If only everyone could see how gentle you can be,” She said, pressing her forehead to his. “Then they’d see how harmless you really are, and there would be no reason to fight.”

“Your naivety is cute, but for some people it wouldn’t matter. Their prejudice is too deep-seated. Humans will always hate us, no matter how hard we try,” He whispered dryly, glaring down at his tail, and she shifted her gaze to her own fingers laced together in her lap.

“I’ll leave you alone now,” She said, standing up, but he caught her wrist before she could move away.

“Don’t go yet,” He pleaded, sliding his fingers down to her hand and guiding it back to his face. “Will you stay with me, just for a little while? You’re the only human who has ever shown me any kindness, and just for a few minutes…if it’s not too much to ask- because it’s comforting, you see, what you were doing before, I-I’d like for you to do that again.”

“This?” She leaned in close, pressing her cheek to his and holding him tightly.

“Yes, this,” He breathed, shoulders relaxing a little. “I like this.”

“Then I’ll stay as long as you want, Chat Noir.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A couple days late, but this chapter encompasses days 12 and 13 of MariChat May: nightmare and touch starved. And we finally learn the reason Chat was injured and why he is so terrified of humans.   
> I threw in a sort of reference to the other story I'm writing within this same universe this month for Myvan May. It's titled Within the Garden Walls, and shows where Marinette came from/where her family is. I'm going to be writing several side stories that are all within the same universe and loosely connected, and at times they may reference each other, so if you're interested in getting the whole story be on the look out for them! Eventually I'm going to bring them all together in one big story that finishes everything off, so if you plan to read that when I get there then make sure you're keeping up with everything. I plan to do one story a month after this month when I'm doing two, and next month will be JuleRose in honor of JuleRose June, so be on the look out for that one! Each story will surround a different pairing, and you all know me, I'm the rare pair queen, so there's going to be some interesting ones you may not have thought of throughout this, but hopefully you learn to enjoy them and like what I have planned. This AU is distanced just enough away from canon that you can suspend your disbelief a little for certain characters (hopefully). Anyways, I'll see you all again in a few days with more MeriChat May!


	4. Heartbeat

Chapter 4

A week had passed since Marinette had held Chat Noir all night, and she removed the bandage from her face that she used to conceal the scratch mark. She’d made up some excuse about how a local cat had attacked her when she stooped to pet it and kept it covered, but it seemed to have healed up nicely over time. Chat was doing a lot better as well, his wound barely needing a whole bandage to cover it anymore, and he seemed to be in high spirits.

“What are you making for dinner tonight?” He asked as she brushed her hair in the mirror, leaning his arms over the tub as he watched.

“I was thinking about picking up some fish from the market after work and baking them,” She replied, tilting her head to assess her work from different angles.

“Oh, tomorrow can you make stew again?” He requested, and she turned to him with an amused glint in her eyes, face falling as soon as she saw him.

His wounds were mostly gone, and his eyes were much brighter and clearer than they had been the first night she brought him home. She’d gotten used to having him around, and he, in turn, had grown used to her company as well, but his tail as too scrunched in her tub. He must be longing to stretch out and swim around, and she knew she wouldn’t be able to keep him there much longer. When she took him in, she hadn’t expected to become so attached to him, and the thought of returning him to the ocean made her a little sad. But it was the right thing to do. He belonged out there, not cooped up in her tiny bathtub.

“Marinette? Are you okay?” His eyebrows furrowed, and she plastered on a smile.

“Yeah, fine, just…thinking. Yes, I can pick up the ingredients to make stew tomorrow, if that’s what you want,” She said quickly, and Chat perked up again. “But you’re going to have to eat your vegetables with tonight’s dinner.”

He slumped at that, and she pressed a hand to her lips to hide her giggle. Her last night with her merman. Her last night with Chat Noir.

“You seem distracted today,” Caline remarked later that afternoon at work. “It’s not like you to be so spacey.”

“Sorry, I’m just feeling a little unwell,” She said, measuring out a length of fabric for the coat she was working on.

“Do you need to go home early?” Caline lowered her voice and glanced around nervously.

“No, I’ll be fine. Besides I don’t want to ask permission for that. If I make myself unavailable then Mme. Sancoeur will find someone else who is, and I don’t want to lose this job,” She said with a sigh, and Caline conceded with a nod.

Her mind raced as she walked home from the market that evening, and she couldn’t even bare to look out at the water. The tide seemed to taunt her, reminding her that her time left with Chat was growing shorter and shorter. It was strange to her that she’d come to regard him so fondly, after all, he was a fish, but to her he was so much more than that. He listened whenever she complained about work, and his face always brightened when he saw her. It was nice to have someone to come home to, and the thought of returning to her lonely life made her heart sink as if a million bricks were weighing it down. A selfish part of her wanted to keep him to herself forever, but sooner or later he’d want to go back.

“Welcome home!” He greeted with a smile when she entered the bathroom but, upon observing her pensive expression, tilted his head to the side. “Is something wrong?”

“I’m fine,” She said, but he wasn’t convinced.

“Did they not have the ingredients for stew at the market?” He gasped in horror, crouching down to hide behind the edge of the tub.

“No, they did…” She hugged her arms to her chest as he straightened up.

“Then what is wrong, Marinette?” He pulled the stool closer and patted it with a prompting nod.

“Chat, you’re feeling better, right?” She asked, flicking her gaze down to the scab on his side.

“Much better thanks to you,” He affirmed cheerfully. “I owe you a great debt.”

“If you’re feeling better then don’t you want to go back to the ocean?” He sobered at that, leaning back against the tub and pursing his lips.

“I suppose so, yes,” He said flicking his gaze back to her. “Are you tired of me?”

“It’s not that. I just don’t want to keep you here in this tiny bathtub where you have no room to move. It wouldn’t be right.” She ran her fingers through his hair, brushing his cheek with her knuckles. “I wish you could stay, but I can’t keep you here forever. You belong out there, not in here.”

He leaned into her touch, catching her hand and nuzzling it softly. “I know.”

“How about I make stew tonight? As a going-away present,” She suggested, changing the subject, and he smiled a little.

“That sounds lovely.”

She stood up, and Chat reluctantly released her hand allowing her to return to the kitchen to cook. Cooking gave her something to focus on other than their inevitable farewell, and she blamed the onions for the tears streaming down her cheeks. How had she become so attached to him in so little time? Was it his handsome face or gentle demeanor? Or perhaps maybe the fond way he’d come to regard her that made her chest tighten and her pulse quicken any time their eyes met. Before she’d even realized it, she found herself getting out of bed earlier with a smile on her face in order to take care of him. In order to see him for as long as she could before she had to leave for work and now all that was coming to an end.

Caline had always told her she needed a boyfriend, but she hadn’t imagined herself falling in love with a merman. Oh, how the village would hang her for this if they ever found out. It was all the more reason for him to go. The quicker he was gone, the quicker she could move on.

“So, when are you taking me back?” Chat asked when she returned to the bathroom with steaming bowls of stew.

“I can do it tonight, if you want,” She said, and he seemed to deflate a little before nodding.

“Alright.”

After dinner she cleaned the kitchen at a snail’s pace, reluctant to finish and haul her merman back down to the shore. It was better that she took her time anyways to ensure that most of the town had gone to sleep, and they wouldn’t be spotted. When the clock struck 11, she dug out the same sack she’d carried him in the first time and helped lift him out of the tub.

“Are you going to be able to carry me?” He asked as she tied the sack in a knot.

“I did it the first time,” She said pointedly, cupping one arm under the bend in his tail and the other under his arms.

She grunted with the effort of lifting him as he was a little heavier than he had been the first time. Feeding him all of those meals must have fattened him up a little over the past week, but nonetheless she carried him to the beach without a fuss. They were both quiet the whole trip, and Chat waited patiently as she untied the sack when she set him down in the water.

“Thank you again for everything,” He said, making no effort to swim away but instead opting to remain where she’d set him. “I must admit that I will miss this a little bit.”

“I’m sure the ocean is much more comfortable for you than my bathtub. Aren’t you excited to return to your home?” She rubbed her arms as a breeze blew by.

“I don’t really have a home.” He said, shifting his gaze to his lap. “I’ve always just been a wanderer, going wherever the current takes me. I don’t usually like being cooped up in one place.”

“Then the past week must have been torture for you.” She smiled, and he glanced up at her and shrugged.

“It was bearable enough. The company was tolerable,” He said sincerely, bringing a flush to her cheeks. “I’d even go as far as to say I enjoyed our time together.”

“Me too, Chat Noir,” She said, tugging on one of her pigtails.

“I wish that all humans were like you, but I know that once I leave this place I will only be met with hostility.” He turned to look out over the expanse of the water before them then shifting to face her again, took her hand and placed it over his heart. She could feel the steady thrum of his heart beating in his chest, and his eyes softened on her affectionately. “So long as my heart beats, Marinette, I will not forget the kindness you have shown me. You will always serve to remind me that not all humans are monsters, and I hope that my memory will serve you the same for my people.”

“It will, Chat Noir,” She said, a pained smile curling on her lips as she held off tears burning in her eyes.

“I will never forget you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter correlates to Day 17 of MariChat May: Heartbeat. It's another sad chapter, but I promise the next one will be happier! Most of the stories in this series are going to be a bit angsty (some more than others) with very few having happy endings because they're meant to be incomplete until I bring them all together. So keep that in mind when you read the next chapter.  
> Hopefully you all enjoyed this one! She let him go, but you know what they say. If you love someone let them go. If they come back, they're yours, and if they don't, they never were. ;)


	5. Midnight Serenade

Chapter 5

Warm sunlight trickled in through her window the next morning, and Marinette blinked open her eyes with a groan, shifting to sit up. Running a hand through her hair, she glanced at the bathroom door then kicked off her blankets to stand up. She wondered what her merman would like for breakfast.

“Chat? Are you hungry? Do you want-” She stopped short in the doorway, the empty tub cold and still, and Marinette felt her heart sink a little.

Oh yeah.

She’d almost forgotten that she let him go last night. He was probably long gone, off to hunt mollusks and search sunken ships. She pressed a hand over her heart, feeling it pound under her flesh, and remembered his promise. Even if she never saw him again, she could still hold onto his memory, and she hoped he’d do the same for her. After all, he didn’t have a reason to come back, and if he did, it could be dangerous. Not everyone in the village was like her. They’d kill him in a heartbeat.

Things were better this way. She knew he wouldn’t be around forever, but somehow his absence weighed on her as she went about her day. The sky seemed a little darker, her home a little less lively. It was silly of her to have feelings for a merman, but she couldn’t help what was in her heart. In just one short week, she’d fallen for Chat Noir, and now she missed him sorely. Did he miss her too? She wondered. Was it possible that he loved her too, or were her feelings just one-sided? The longer she thought about it, the more her heart ached, and she was eerily quiet at work which didn’t go unnoticed by Caline.

“Are you sure you’re alright, Marinette? You’ve been acting odd lately.” Her eyebrows furrowed worriedly at the end of the day as they gathered their hats from the rack, and she placed a hand over Marinette’s forehead.

“I’m fine, really,” Marinette said, swatting her hand away gently. “It’s just that I…was seeing someone, and now they had to go back home.”

“Fall in love with a traveler from out of the country? I’ve been there,” Caline said with a sympathetic wince, patting her shoulder. “You’ll get through it in a few days. Say, why don’t you come out for drinks with us tonight? My treat. Please say yes! We’re off tomorrow, so even if you get a hangover, you can just sleep it off.”

“That sounds…nice,” Marinette said with a small smile, and Caline perked up excitedly.

“Don’t you worry about a thing.” She said, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and steering her up the street. “We’ll help you forget all about him.”

Marinette highly doubted it, but it had been a while since she’d been out with her friends and, frankly, she could really use a drink. Maybe it would take the edge off of her self-pity and allow her to sleep that night which is something she hadn’t done much of the night before. Besides, it wouldn’t kill her to see her friends and ward of some suspicion since she’d been avoiding them for over a week.

“Marinette!” Their girl friends cheered as they entered, and she bit back an awkward smile as Rose enveloped her into a tight hug.

“Where have you been?” She asked, squeezing her shoulders.

“Oh, uh, just busy…” Marinette said guiltily, patting Rose’s back until she let go.

“Get this, girls, Marinette had a secret boyfriend she was keeping from us all this time,” Caline announced, and Marinette felt her spine stiffen as everyone erupted into inquisitive chatter.

“I knew it!”

“What’s his name?”

“Do I know him? Is he one of those royal guardsmen that likes to patrol through here? Cause I have a cousin in the royal guard, and-”

“No, he wasn’t a royal guardsman,” She cut Aurore off, holding up defensive hands. “And you guys wouldn’t know him. Besides he’s…gone now, so it doesn’t even matter.”

“Marinette…” Rose’s face fell, and Caline drummed her fingers on the table with pursed lips.

“Enough sadness. First round’s on me,” Caline said, squishing Marinette’s cheeks between her hands before signaling the bartender.

Marinette squared her shoulders as the barmaid sauntered over and set the tray of drinks down. Aurore pushed a mug toward her with a pointed look, and Marinette took a healthy gulp, prompting cheers from her entourage. It had been a while since she had a good beer, but she decided to pace herself in case she started to drunkenly spill details about her secret merman. Getting shitfaced didn’t really bode well for keeping secrets.

“Hey, M.” Caline nudged her with her elbow. “We should call the bard over to play you a song. He’s kind of funny, but maybe you could fall in love with him.”

“Nah, I’m not really into musicians,” Marinette said, setting her mug down, and Caline shrugged in a gesture of ‘oh well, your loss.’

“Well, I’m starving. Does anyone else want food?” Aurore asked, slapping a hand on the table, and the others nodded in agreement.

Somehow the world around her seemed different now, and Marinette wasn’t sure whether to blame Chat Noir or the alcohol. Maybe a little of both, but the real world seemed so out of place in her life now. Real people seemed so foreign, and even her friends seemed like strangers to her. She used to love nights like this, drinking and drunkenly singing their favorite songs at the top of their lungs, but her heart wasn’t in it anymore. Perhaps she was still just feeling down on herself, and things would get better with time, but in just one short week, her whole perspective of life had changed.

Discovering that merpeople exist. Discovering that mermen are, in fact, _very_ handsome and soft and gentle and temperate and excessively fond of stew though amusingly disgusted by vegetables. Just as fearful of humans as humans are of them. Everything she’d ever heard about the merpeople was a lie, and maybe learning the truth about them made her a little disgruntled with humans for their overly harsh prejudices that prevented her from being with the one she loved. Or perhaps she was just drunk and sad, but either way the jolly atmosphere in the bar just seemed to be shrouded in a glamour that hid something much uglier underneath.

“Are you sure you can make it home yourself?” Rose asked at the end of the night, cocking a brow, and Marinette rolled her eyes.

“I’m fine. Barely even tipsy,” She insisted, and her friends exchanged reluctant looks before nodding.

“See you later then, M,” Aurore said, and Marinette waved over her shoulder as she set out down the street.

Her mind felt a little fuzzy but not bad enough to impair her mobility. A night out had been a nice distraction for a little while, but now that she was alone again her mind wandered straight back to her merman. As she approached the beach, a gentle breeze brushed her cheek, and she felt her heart lurch in her chest. It had been some time since she’d walked along the shore, and part of her missed feeling the tide rush in around her ankles. It wasn’t too late yet, and no one ever really came to the beach at night except her. She supposed the overly-superstitious villagers were convenient in that regard.

The ocean tides were low and calm that night seemingly just as down as Marinette felt. Drinks sounded nice at the time, but now that she’d had a few, she just felt worse. Her eyes scanned over the bay, hoping to see that mop of blond hair poking out, but the waters were dark and quiet, no sign of her merman anywhere. It was just as well. If someone spotted him, it would be the end of both of them, but a girl could still hope, right? Besides, it wasn’t like he owed it to her to visit. Sure, she’d saved his life, but she’d given him his freedom unconditionally. If she had to guess, he probably put his tail to their shore with no intention of ever returning, and she couldn’t blame him. One person who saved your life wasn’t worth the thousands of others willing to kill you at a moment’s notice.

With a sigh, she took one last glance out over the horizon before heading up the hill to her house. She just wanted to crawl into bed and sleep forever, but as she flopped down onto her mattress, her mind refused to be silenced. Memories from the past week replayed over and over, Chat’s smiling face when she walked into the room, his skeptical glare as he poked at his vegetables, the sloppy way he gobbled down her stew… She longed to have all of that just one more time.

She stared at her ceiling for several hours, shifting restlessly in her bed before finally sitting up. The room felt too small and stuffy, so she kicked off her blankets and moved to open the window, breathing in the fresh air as it filtered in. She leaned against it with a sigh, closing her eyes and resting her chin on her arms until a faint melody registered in her ears that cause her to shoot upright.

Not even bothering to put on shoes or a coat, she raced out the front door and down to the base of the cliff, following the call into a secluded rocky alcove where her merman sat with a hand pressed over his heart, a smile curling on his lips when she appeared. Their eyes locked as he continued his serenade until she crawled over the rocks and into his arms. He leaned his head against hers with a breathy laugh as she clung to him tightly and buried her face in his neck. It took her a few moments, but when realization dawned on her, she pushed away with a scolding pout.

“What the hell are you doing here?” She hissed, glancing around nervously. “What if someone heard you?”

“Well, it seems that only the person I was calling for came to see me, so I think it’s safe,” He said with a shrug, that playful smirk on his lips. “And it seems like someone missed me.”

Her cheeks flushed as she shifted out of his lap to sit beside him on the rocks, crossing her arms over her chest and averting her gaze stubbornly. He chuckled in amusement, brushing her cheek with the back of his hand tenderly and leaning into her ear.

“I missed you too, Marinette,” He whispered, causing goose bumps to spread across her skin, and she shivered a little. “It’s why I came back. I couldn’t bring myself to part with you, and I was hoping to see you one last time.”

She shifted a little, biting back a smile and clasping her hands together in her lap shyly. “I admit that I am happy to see you…But it’s dangerous for you to sing so loudly! What if someone else came instead?”

“I dunno.” He shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck. “I wasn’t thinking about that. I was only thinking about you.”

Marinette pursed her lips with a sigh before lifting his arm and placing it around her shoulders as she leaned against his chest. They stayed that way for several minutes, watching the tide rush in and out, spraying her legs with droplets as it hit the rocks. Chat nuzzled against her hair, holding her close and breathing her in contently while she listened to his heartbeat. It was funny to her how relaxed they’d become with each other considering how tense things were a week ago. Chat made her feel safe and warm, and she hoped that he felt the same about her.

“I’m not ready to let go,” He said after a while, grip tightening a little. “I just want to stay like this forever.”

“I’d like that too, but the people here are too prejudiced. It’s dangerous for you to stay,” She said, cupping his cheek and pressing her forehead to his.

“I don’t care.” He shook his head, breath kissing her cheeks as he spoke. “I want to see you, Marinette. I want to see you every day forever.”

Marinette bit her lip and let out a sigh through her nose, gently running her thumb along the back of his neck as she weighed the meaning of those words.

Chat Noir wanted to see her. She could see him every day if she wanted, and he’d come to her. But was it safe? What would become of them if they got caught? The last thing she wanted was to put Chat in danger or see him get hurt, but when she looked into his eyes to refuse him, they were so bright and hopeful. The affection in his eyes was undeniable, and Marinette felt her heart stir.

Was it wrong to love a merman? Her heart didn’t seem to think so, and in her mind she didn’t really care. This made her happy, so for the time being, just for a little while, she wanted to be a little selfish. The world could grant her that, right?

“Okay,” She said softly, and Chat’s face brightened. “But we have to be careful. If someone were to see us-”

“I know.” He cut her off gently, nuzzling her cheek with his nose. “Meet me here every night, Marinette. I’ll wait for you.”

“I suppose you’d like me to bring you dinner,” She teased, and Chat pulled away to see the playful glint in her eyes, biting his lip.

“I can find my own food in the ocean, but if you were so inclined…” He pursed his lips guiltily, and Marinette chuckled in amusement.

“I guess it’s true what they say about wild animals,” She said. “If you feed them they’ll just keep coming back for more.”

“Is that all I am to you?” He huffed dramatically. “An animal? Does an animal do this?”

Her giggles echoed against the rocks as he pulled her into his arms and maneuvered his fingers up her sides, tickling her sensitive flesh. She pleaded for him to stop, and after a moment he relented, holding her close in his lap and caressing her cheek.

“You’re _my_ human pet,” He said, bopping her nose with his finger.

“Considering I’m the one who feeds you, I think you’re my pet, Chat Noir,” She said with a giggle.

“I can bring you food,” He offered, pulling her up into a hug and nuzzling against her cheek. “I can bring you gold and silver, rubies and diamonds. There’s a ton of them just sitting at the bottom of the ocean. I can bring you anything you want.”

“What I want…” She hummed, pressing her lips into a line. “Is just you.”

Chat let out a short laugh, grip tightening around her. “I can give you that.”

“Then that’s all I want. Just Chat, holding me like this, eating my cooking, making me laugh. This is enough for me,” She murmured in his ear, feeling his pulse quicken in his chest.

“Then I shall return to you every day, Marinette. Every night right here just after dark, I will wait for you,” He said, closing his eyes contently, and she did the same, breathing in the scent of the sea from his skin.

Every day. Chat Noir by her side every day. She could get used to that.

After some time, the horizon glowed with a red hue, the beginning of sunrise, and Chat reluctantly hopped back into the water, resting his chin in her lap and looking up at her through hooded eyelids.

“So, I’ll see you tomorrow?” He asked hopefully, and she ran a hand through his hair with a gentle smile.

“Yes. I’ll be here tomorrow and the next day and the next day after that,” She said, and his face brightened cheerfully.

“Then I shall come and see you every day. Every day, forever.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The end!  
> For now.  
> Sorry this one was a little late. Got into some annoying discourse on my birthday and kinda had to work myself back into the mood to write, so this is the last thing I will be finishing in May. I'm hoping to maybe work on Fluff Month tonight and tomorrow before I leave to go on vacation, and my Myvan May story will get worked on over time, but tomorrow is Lukadrien/JuleRose/Ladrien June! I will be writing another story in this series with JuleRose so be on the lookout for that, it probably won't go up until after the 10th of June cause that's when I'm getting back from vacation, and I don't know how much I'll actually write on this trip. I will be in the car for a long time, but we'll see how much I get done.  
> I hope you all enjoyed this one! You'll see more of Chat and Marinette across a few other stories I have planned and of course when I bring them all together you'll see lots of them. (Maybe even get a kiss >,>) But until then be on the look out for other stories in this series because they will be pertinent in the combined story later on. I hope you're all having a wonderful day, and I'll see you all next time!


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